Multiple Imputation Using Amelia [duplicate]

I am using Amelia for multiple imputation, and I am satisfied with the imputed results. But I want to restrict the imputed variable to positive values. Is there a way that Amelia can handle it or should I use some other package which can take care of it.

marked as duplicate by Xi'an, whuber♦Mar 23 '15 at 17:42

• Take a look at my relevant answer and that discussion, in general. Actually, I think that this question is a possible duplicate of the above-referenced one. In my dissertation data analysis, I've discovered that the data is not MV normal. That was the reason I had to switch from using Amelia for multiple imputation to mice. – Aleksandr Blekh Mar 23 '15 at 17:04
• @AleksandrBlekh The OP's question is not a duplicate of the one you cite, since the one you cite is about imputation constraints and conditionalities as a general topic, while the OP is asking about a specific constraint within Amelia. – Alexis Mar 23 '15 at 17:49
• @Alexis: Well, it depends on how you define a duplicate question. I think that it's not necessarily should cover exactly the same topic. The question I cite covers a wider topic, which includes one of this question's (it contains Amelia-specific discussion as well). Hence, my suggestion of marking this one as a possible duplicate (it seems that moderators agree with me on this). – Aleksandr Blekh Mar 23 '15 at 17:58
• Even if this isn't a duplicate, it looks off-topic any way as a request for code or software advice. – Nick Cox Mar 23 '15 at 19:33

1. Use the log-transformed values of the variable you wish to be constrained as positive $x$ in the imputation procedure. The log of a positive number is in $\mathbb{R}$, so $\log(x)$ respects the interval of the normal distribution. Exponentiate the imputed values of $x$ to retrieve the data values on the original scale.
• The wording is better (good), but I still see the problem here. Covering an interval of values is not the same as being normally distributed, is it? Take a look at my relevant answer and that discussion, in general. Actually, I think that this question is a possible duplicate of the above-referenced one. In my dissertation data analysis, I've discovered that the data is not MV normal. That was the reason I had to switch from using Amelia for multiple imputation to mice. – Aleksandr Blekh Mar 23 '15 at 17:03